A seat at the table: Bloomsbury Football promotes female coaches at International Women's Day. MOMENTUM ON

'Inspire Inclusion' is the theme of Bloomsbury Football and Momentum On's 'A Seat at the Table' campaign for International Women's Day. The initiative aims to tackle the under-representation of women in coaching and encourage more girls and women to participate in sport.

Bloomsbury Football, a charity that uses the power of football to help over 5,000 young people in London every week, has teamed up with Momentum On to launch 'A seat at the table'. 

The initiative recognises and celebrates the women who coach Bloomsbury Football players while highlighting the barriers that prevent more female coaches from getting on the pitch. 

The campaign features Beth, Sasha, and Morgan, three coaches at Bloomsbury Football, each with unique motivations for getting involved in the game. Through portraits, group shots, and interviews, 'A Seat at the Table' celebrates the power of women in coaching.

Beth, Sasha and Morgan, Bloomsbury Football coaches. MOMENTUM ON
Beth, Sasha and Morgan, Bloomsbury Football coaches. MOMENTUM ON

Emma Hayes, six-time FA Women's Super League champion (the only female Chelsea player in history) and Women's Champions League runner-up, described the lack of women in coaching as "a massive problem" in early February 2024. The Chelsea manager believes "we have a lot of work to do to close that gap". 

A third of coaches in the FA Women's Super League are currently women. In Spain's Liga Iberdrola, only three coaches of the 16 clubs that are competing in 2024 are women. There are still barriers to women's access to coaching roles at all levels of the game. 

María Pry, the Chilean first division and Spanish King's Cup runner-up, who currently coaches Real Betis, is convinced of this: "There are fewer women playing football, and even fewer who want to be coaches. The lack of opportunities also limits us. I hope  that this situation will change in time."

Established in 2018, Charity Bloomsbury Football operates on a financial support basis to ensure that all players can take part, regardless of financial constraints. With 5,000 young people taking part each week, including 1,500 girls from north and central London, the charity continues to make a significant impact. 

Through this campaign, Bloomsbury Football and Momentum On are celebrating women's coaching at a grassroots level and highlighting its vital role in driving tangible change within the industry. 

If girls are exposed to diverse opportunities in football as they grow up, they are more likely to feel confident in their ability to pursue coaching roles in the future. The more referrals and support there are, the easier it will be for a young girl to find a way to become a professional football coach and take her 'Seat at the Table.'